Deciding between schools

[CarolinaGirl84]

This might be premature since I haven't gotten in to UNC's program yet (but I should know this week or next, and I talked with the dean a while back and it sounded promising). So I got into Duke's accelerated program and am waiting to hear back from UNC. Pros about UNC- I get in state tuition, it starts 3 months sooner than Duke and is 2 months shorter than Duke's program, making me a nurse 6 months sooner than Duke will. Plus it is ranked very high, higher than Duke. I reaaalllly liked Duke, but someone tell me UNC is the smarter choice. Or maybe I'm just fixated on thinking that Duke "sounds" better/more prestigious, etc. What to do?

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

I would take the admission you get with gratitude. If UNC comes through go there. If not you still have admission to DUKE. For personal reasons I have had to wait for 6 months following school graduation to start using my RN. I have passed my NCLEX and am now just waiting for a new grad program to start. In other words I wouldn't stress out about the waiting time.

[RNperdiem, RN]

I work with many UNC students have been very, very impressed with the quality of nursing education they get. The students have access to wonderful internships and externships. The culture of the hospital is more "nurse friendly". In state tuition is the way to go.

I am not familiar with Duke's program. I have heard from many nurses in many settings over the years that Duke is a less nurse friendly environment.

[Agnus]

Once you graduate NO ONE will care where you graduated from. The only people who will are you and your family. This is especially true in nursing. I graduated from what was at the time rated as the best nursing school in the country. NO ONE cares.

[Agnus]

Clarification that last No one cares was not directed at you. It refers to no one caring where I graduated from.

I personally would weigh out the benefits. is one school significantly less expensive than the other (that would be a biggie for me) does one have better nursing program. this last one is difficult for you to rate. Here is how you might be able to do it. Assuming you can find several nurses who did not graduate from either school ask their opinion. They will give you an unbiased view of how they see nurses from both schools.